Discussions By Condition: Medical Stories

unexplained body failure

Hello, I have been unwell for over three months. I’m in pain and hope you can provide to me some assistance.

I was previously very active. I did two personal training sessions per week, one aerobics, ‘general’ cold yoga, and a ‘fun’ sport like recreational ‘circus’. So was very fit and active and flexible. I’ve vegetarian. Supplements taken: Magnesium, Iron “Spirulina” also rich an amino acids & C, Silica, B12, B Complex, Zinc, E, Glucosamine. I’m 5 2”, was 47.6kgs now 45.2kgs (very small bones; normal weight for me).

All of a sudden it seemed I got ‘unwell’.

Pre-existing conditions are foot issues and wear orthotics, old rotar cuff injury that seemed to heal but L shoulder never ‘the same’. Was in car accident and that side developed reflex sympathetic dystrophy (ok now but past history). Left ankle tendonitis from being a skater that flares from time to time. In August 2012 I strained a wrist tendon quite badly from circus ‘chin ups’. I assumed this was normal; a ‘repetitive’ strain and silly me. It was very sore. I sough physio. To this say I lost the flexibility of that wrist and it’s still sore to a degree.

Elbow issues-On the 21 December 2012 I was lifting in each hand 6kg and doing ‘alternate dumbbell lifts’ with a trainer. Normally we did both raised at the same time so was a different movement. Also did push it. Both elbows were very painful. I kept exercise going but very low key and reduced. Pain persisted. R shoulder also very painful. Found out that both elbows on ultrasound had swollen ulnar nerves. Upper lib specialist also said I had tennis elbow. But ultrasound shows not tendon issues (?). They are still sore but never pain died a bit which is good. They constantly ‘click’ and are painful. The nerve pain in fingers is almost gone and the pain that was going to my thumb is gone. Fingers are ‘stiff’ and when I draw them in the are like ‘mechanical’ in action.

Right Shoulder-My right shoulder became painful. I can’t recall anything major that happened. It was sore and radiating pain. Felt burning. Hard to sleep at night. That has died down but clicking. Ultrasound shows bursitis. Hard to understand that would last three months ?I’ve done nothing for this.

HOT YOGA (14 & 24 Jan 2012) Before I got my results from my elbows I stopped all sport to look after my nerves. I thought I’d take up hot yoga. Thinking that the heat would make my muscles more malleable and I would work at stretching to heal my injuries. I made a big mistake. The first session I walked away in pain. My shoulder was extremely sore. My neck developed neck pain. My elbows hurt. The second time I did “damage”. In a one-footed pose my right ankle tendon I think loudly to the room snapped / cracked. It hurt. The other ankle did the same but to a lesser degree. At that same session we were instructed to sit on our kneed and layback. I used to do this with no issues as very flexible. However they said if you weren’t you could do it ‘frog legged’ so I ‘splayed’ my legs. It hurt. After that session my ankles were tingling with pain, my knees sore, I was in great pain. I did not return and ceases all activity. Sleep was only possible with medication, my arms wrapped in towels to keep them straight, my knees raised with a pillow and my feet hanging off the bed as heels and ankles can’t lay flat without tingling pain. All this to this day is the same, with an increase in knee pain but I now have legs ‘flat’.

KNEESMy knees since Yoga 24 January have been achie. However only in the last month I’ve developed debilitating pain. The look swollen but an ultrasound shows they are not. The pain is crippling. I was doing some Latin dance but after three sessions of this very light activity (over three weeks) I ended up putting myself to hospital with this pain. The hospital sent me home and told me to see a rheumatologist. Though this wholes tine I’ve been indeed regularly going to my GP and had set up blood test, seen a physio who said I had too much and it must be RA, taken medication. They are AGONY. The pain is the knee cap, it ‘looks’ bigger. Weather it really is I’m not sure. Xrays were recently done and nothing shoed. Accompanying this knee issue is numbness in my toes and tingling in my ankle. The two small toes in from the pinky. The knee pain feels ‘inflamed’ ‘burning on-fire pain’, there was ‘clicking’ that set of major pain hen I last danced. I have ceased all activity. Even a week last week in hospital totally elevating legs – marginally better but back to normal activity crippling again. Now I also have numbness down my right skin accompanied by ‘tingling’. My knees cannot bear stairs, sitting being bent, laying totally flat.

“Miscellaneous” unexplained complications

BACK PAIN MIDDLEI had suddenly mid February a sharp pain in the middle of my back. Accompanied by general bad nerve pain.

NECK PAINI’ve also at that same tie had neck nerve pain. Radiating to my left side of the face. This happened badly once where when I drank water fel from my mouth. Dr ruled out nasties by having a CT conducted of neck and brain. “All fine”. I also get ‘eye pain’ which is a nerve pain. I did have a serious car accident five years ago and on rare odd occasion have had this in the past.

LOWER BACKRecently specifically middle back; I noted low back pain. “Tailbone area”. It clicks and I get nerve pain. I wondered if that’s why my toes get numb however this back issue is intermittent. Knees however are constant.

MUSCLESMy muscles are tight. I used to be very flexible with good muscles. I recently went to a ‘cold normal yoga’ class. Over two months – I could not do much. I used to be one of the most flexible students. Now my wrists when moved ‘up’ and ‘down’ have like a tremor.

FLU Like / Cold-A month ago had a bad flu. Did recover-Now; I thought I was getting a cold but it’s just a runny nose-I get cold. I wore two sets of stockings to work, scarf, trench coat. Historically I am more prone to cold.

Tests & DoctorsRA and Ross River – NegativeFurther tests for RA / Fibromyalgia done – All unremarkableShoulder ultrasound 18/3 – Buritis. Recommend injectionKnee Ultrasound – Nothing seen; no inflammation (did it die down with rest? However they were still painful)Rheumatologist tests –Showed “Low C3 and C4 Compliment. 25/3 prescribed “Plaquenil”. Note “ANA” test is fine. Have not taken medication.Upper Limb Surgeon: Prescribed mobic. Said I did not have ulnar nerve issues in my elbows but it was ‘tennis elbow’. He commented however it was strange that if I was in that much pain why any tendon issues did not reveled. Swollen ulnar nerves however were the only thing to show.Upper Limb Therapist: I went to get therapy for my wrist injury done August 2012. I was not aware this woman actually looked at the ‘whole upper body’. Indivertibly got a second opinion on the elbows which she looked at in depth. She said I had swollen ulnar nerver. As did my doctor and the ultrasound. I may too have tennis elbow as there is ‘clicking’ loudly with pain.Physiotherapist: I saw the physio that treated me through my car accident as he has all my history. When complaining of so many injuries he said it seemed like there was something else going on and to get RA test done. He looked at my feet and diagnosed plantar fasciitis.GPs: I’ve gone to my local GP many times; to no avail.Hydro therapist: This lady treated me through my car accident so has my history. She does not know why I have pain everywhere but discussed RA.Future appointments & tests?NeurologistNerve conduction study for elbowsI want to see a knee surgeon.What other blood tests can I do (Lymes disease?)?Medications:-Nothing works. Valium to my surprise however does alleviate pain but I can’t understand why. What I feel now? -I am lying in bed. My ankles are throbbing with pain. Terrible ‘tingling’ pain. Inside of the ankle near the bone. IT feels like it’s burning. Similar to knee pain. -Knees rested but sore. -Back sore-Wrists click and sore when type-Elbows in pain-R shoulder only sore if I move it-When I get ‘pain all over’ I get a fast heart beat even though I am calm and not stressed. -I’ve had running nose and flu like symptoms. -Three weeks ago I had a bad flu. Got over it. -If I move in a certain way the numbness on L side of face almost like a ‘tickle’ pain happens. -I feel all of this yet took an Endone

What to do? I need help and directionI cannot go about my daily activities any more. I seek guidance on what tests I have overlooked, who else I can see.